Jamaica Civil Service Association (JCSA) Sports Committee, Jerry-Neal Richards (second right), takes members of the JCSA 5K team through their paces at the launch of the organisation’s 100th Anniversary 5K Charity Run/Walk at JACISERA Park. Team members (from left) are President, O’Neil Grant; committee members Ewan Harvey; Melanie Mullings-Arnold (partly hidden), who is the Co-Chair; and Raymond Poyser.

Photo: Contributed

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Four health facilities will benefit from the proceeds of the Jamaica Civil Service Association’s (JSCA) Centenary Charity Grand Prix 5K Run/Walk.

The four-stage series forms part of the events marking 100 years of service by the public-sector union.

The beneficiaries are the St. Ann’s Bay Health Department in the North East Regional Health Authority (NERHA); Whitehouse Health Centre in the Western Regional Health Authority (WRHA); Mandeville Comprehensive Health Centre in the Southern Regional Health Authority (SRHA); and the Kingston Public Hospital (KPH) in the South East Regional Health Authority (SERHA).

Four health facilities will benefit from the proceeds of the Jamaica Civil Service Association’s (JSCA) Centenary Charity Grand Prix 5K Run/Walk.

The four-stage series forms part of the events marking 100 years of service by the public-sector union.

The beneficiaries are the St. Ann’s Bay Health Department in the North East Regional Health Authority (NERHA); Whitehouse Health Centre in the Western Regional Health Authority (WRHA); Mandeville Comprehensive Health Centre in the Southern Regional Health Authority (SRHA); and the Kingston Public Hospital (KPH) in the South East Regional Health Authority (SERHA).

They were selected by the respective Regional Directors based on several needs identified.

The Charity Grand Prix, which is being held over three months, under the theme ‘Running into 100 Years Healthy’, got under way in Runaway Bay, St. Ann, on Sunday February 3 and continued with the second leg on Sunday, February 24 in Montego Bay.

The races will continue on Sunday, March 31, with the third leg in May Pen, Clarendon, while the grand finale is slated to run off from the JSCA sports complex, JACISERA Park, Kingston, on Sunday, April 14.

“Any assistance that we get is welcomed. KPH is viewed as the national hospital, [and] we want comfort for the staff, the patients and the visitors. We seek to serve them well and to ensure that we have the necessary tools to do so,” she says.

Ms. Golding notes that one of the Authority’s key focus areas is enhancing the institution’s aesthetics in order to provide all stakeholders, especially clients, with a good experience while they are at the facility.

“We are appealing to the public to take care of our hospital, especially the bathrooms, as this can only enhance your own experience when you come to the hospital,” she adds. JCSA President, O’Neil Grant, explains that the association wanted to commemorate its centenary milestone in a tangible way.

“We are the oldest union in the Caribbean and, in celebrating, we are giving back to Jamaica Land We Love” he tells JIS News. He explains that each facility was asked to indicate their greatest need in terms of equipment.

“From that list, and based on the returns that we get from the run/walk, we’ll be supplying one of those pieces of equipment. We are expecting that we will get quite a good turnout for the next two legs that will allow us to get the equipment that is needed to supply the health facilities ” he adds.

Mr. Grant points out that over 1,000 persons have registered for the runs, “and we are hoping that we will increase that number significantly for the next two legs”.

“The planning has been wonderful and the execution has been great. We are hoping that we can increase the level of turn-ups along with the level of registration for the next two runs,” he adds.

Meanwhile, the President has praised the sponsors partnering with the JSCA for the event’s duration.

“We have sponsorship from Trade Winds Citrus, through the Tru Juice brand; Wisynco; JP Foods; HEART Trust/NTA; and Life Span Water. We are grateful that they have caught the vision and chosen to support us in this manner in this our 100th year,” he says.

“We have special rates for them, so we really want them to come and participate and celebrate in this historic event. Come and be a part of history,” she urges.

For individuals participating in one event, the entry fee is $1,500. For organisations entering a team of 50 or more persons for one race, each individual will pay $1,200.

Members of the JCSA will pay $1,000 each, and there is a student rate of $500.

“The race will end at JACISERA Park with a big shebang, and we have chosen very scenic routes. So we really want everyone to come out and participate,” she further urges.

The JCSA will host other events to commemorate the centenary milestone. These include a Church Service on May 5 at the Holy Trinity Cathedral, downtown Kingston; a Banquet at The Jamaica Pegasus hotel, New Kingston, on May 6; and the Annual General Meeting and Young Workers Forum on May 3.